It’s no secret that former Shield member Roman Reigns is one of the most hated Superstars on the WWE’s roster right now, but that doesn’t change the fact that “The Big Dog” has had a tremendous amount of success during his time with the company – something former RAW Women’s Champion Sasha Banks is able to recognize.
Banks recently did a few media appearances in Australia and found herself visiting the Victoria Zoo during one of them. During her visit, “The Boss” was asked to name who she believes was the best male wrestler on the roster. Banks broke the rules a bit and named three, however, she placed Roman Reigns at the top of her list and claimed that ‘all the guys are jealous of him’:
“I love Roman Reigns. Whether you guys love him, boo him, hate him – I think all the guys are jealous of him. He is an incredible athlete. He’s one to watch. He does it and kills it every single week”
“Of course, I have to say Cesaro. I watch his stuff and I go, “How do you think of that?” He’s so strong… Let me choose someone on SmackDown… of course, AJ Styles. He is legit phenomenal, I’m just like in awe every time I see him wrestle. He’s so sweet… he’s my Uncle Allen. What’s up, Unc? You good?”
Last year, New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) star Kota Ibushi missed out on the G1 Climax tournament in favor of working the WWE’s inaugural Cruiserweight Classic Tournament (CWC). Ibushi had a fair amount of success in the tournament as he made it to the semi-finals before losing to eventual winner TJ Perkins.
Ibushi will be back this year to participate in the G1 Climax tournament, but it seems as though he has some beef with fellow star Kenny Omega who feels Ibushi abandoned him last year in favor of chasing his ‘pipe dream’ in the WWE:
“After you left me all alone. To fend for myself. I never stopped training. I never stopped sacrificing. I never stopped feeling the pain, I never ran away like you did. So if you can make it to the finals, that’s where I’ll be waiting. And then finally I’ll make you feel the pain, Ibushi. And I’ll show you through my actions, everything that I felt while you were away – after you threw me away – to accomplish your own dream. Your own pipe dream of becoming a world famous CWC participant.”
Many fans are beginning to worry about the future of “The Boss” in WWE after a recent Tumblr post she made this past weekend. Banks is arguably the biggest female fan-favorite on the WWE’s roster and has held the RAW Women’s Title multiple times since making her main roster debut, with more title reigns certainly in her future.
Despite all this, fans believe Banks’ time in the professional wrestling industry could be short lived, as she posted the following on Tumblr yesterday (Sun. July 16, 2017):
“Two more years left! New beginnings coming”
Discussion: What do you think Banks could be referring to in this post?
After over a decade away from WWE, Kurt Angle has finally returned home where he belongs. The former Olympic Gold Medal winner was brought back back in April as he was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame just prior to WrestleMania 33. Soon after, Vince McMahon officially announced angle as the new General Manager of Monday Night RAW, bringing Angle back to weekly WWE programming once again.
Recently, a WWE Network special entitled WWE 24 – Kurt Angle: Homecoming revealed some of the backstory behind the former WWE Champion and Vince McMahon’s relationship, and how Angle’s entrance into the world of professional wrestling came about. Per Angle, just after his Olympic Gold Medal win in 1996 he was contacted by Vince McMahon for a possible signing. Angle initially turned the contract offer down and almost ruined his chances of ever being a WWE Superstar because he refused to lose to who he was brought up to believe were ‘fake’ wrestlers:
“In 1996, after I won the gold medal, Vince McMahon said he’d like to meet with me. He threw a contract at me right away. It was a 10-year deal. It was more money than I ever saw in my lifetime at that time. I looked at the contract and stared back at Vince and said, ‘Mr. McMahon, thank you for the offer. I hope you know I’m an Olympic gold medalist, so I could never lose.’ I didn’t hear from Vince McMahon after that. I didn’t get it. I didn’t understand what this was. As a kid, I was taught by my brothers and coaches, ‘don’t watch that stuff. It’s fake. You’re real.’ So I never did.”
After a while Angle seemed to have a change of heart and contacted then-head of WWE Talent Relations Jim Ross, who told him the contract offer from he and McMahon’s previous meeting was no longer available but he was more than welcome to come down and try out just like everyone else. Although he almost quite halfway through the first day of training, Angle impressed WWE officials so much he was offered a contract on day three of his tryout.
Despite having dropped the idea of never losing in a WWE ring, Angle still was hesitant when it came to hearing some of Vince McMahon’s ideas for his character:
“I said, ‘look, you’re this hero. At the same time, when we bring you into WWE, you’re going to be a heel, so to speak, because you’re so good. You’ve accomplished so much. You’re above the business. ‘I’m a real wrestler.'” McMahon continued, “and I said, ‘what’s going to happen is people are really going to boo the hell out of you.’ ‘Oh no, Vince, that’s not going to happen.'”
Kurt Angle and Triple H at WWE Hall of Fame 2017 ceremony.
After hearing the negative reception Angle received from not only WWE fans around the world, but fans of his own hometown of Pittsburgh, Angle was finally able to admit McMahon knew what he was talking about:
“I doubted Vince McMahon the whole time. I doubted him from Day One. I said, ‘there’s no way in hell they’re going to boo me. There’s no way in hell they’re going to disrespect me. I’m an Olympic gold medalist. These people are going to love me.’ And he said, ‘no, they’re going to be the opposite.’ And he was right.”
– In the video below, check out Monday Night RAW General Manager Kurt Angle arrive for tonight’s episode of RAW in which he is set to reveal a big secret that has had WWE fans scratching their heads for the past few weeks. Angle is set to make a ‘big announcement’ alongside a loved one tonight, that could possibly taint his Hall Of Fame career:
– As we’ve previously reported, the WWE has cancelled Talking Smack as a weekly program on the WWE Network. The news has seemed to sadden a lot within the WWE Universe, however, former United States Champion Kevin Owens is not one of those sympathizers. “KO” took to Twitter to express his approval for the WWE’s move to no longer give Renee Young and SmackDown Live General Manager Daniel Bryan’s ‘nonsense’ a platform:
– After a recent house show win alongside partner and friend Nia Jax, RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss took to Instagram to celebrate her and Jax’s victory. In the post “Little Miss Bliss” used the hashtag ‘#TeamRude’ making some WWE fans wonder if a tag team between the pair is on the horizon:
Ring of Honor is off to Europe in mid-August for a 3 night tour.. The company visits London on August 18th, Liverpool on August 19th, and then Edinburgh on the 20th.
The company has just announced that the show from Liverpool on the 19th will air as a PPV on the FITE app. The main event for the show is scheduled to be Cody defending the ROH championship against SANADA from Los Ingobernables.
For those unfamiliar with the FITE app, the streaming service carries free and PPV shows from various companies around the world. ROH TV streams a new episode on FITE every Monday and also hosts their PPV shows.
— ROH – Ring of Honor Wrestling (@ringofhonor) July 17, 2017
Ring of Honor Press Release
ROH WAR OF THE WORLDS UK – LIVERPOOL EXCLUSIVELY ON ROHWRESTLING.COM AND THE FITE TV DIGITAL PPV PLATFORM AUGUST 19TH
“New York, NY (July 17, 2017)? – FITE TV and Ring of Honor Wrestling announced today that, that FITE TV will be the exclusive digital PPV broadcast platform for Ring of Honor’s War of the Worlds UK – Liverpool which takes place Saturday August 19th at 1:00PM EDT live from Liverpool, England. This event will be available in the United States and Canada only on the FITE app, www.FITE.tv and on FITE through the ROHWrestling.com website at a $19.99 price point.
This marks the first time that Ring of Honor will broadcast a live event from outside of North America as a digital pay-per-view. ROH continues to bring the best wrestling on the planet to its fans and the War of the Worlds UK Tour will be no exception. Furthermore, ROH officials have chosen Liverpool to be the site of its pay-per-view with some major match announcements to come this week, including a change to the rematch between Dalton Castle and Marty Scurll. Both of these ROH stars are at the top of their game and certainly deserve their share of gold, but NJPW’s Kushida still holds the ROH World Television championship from the War of the Worlds Tour in the US. Also, former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and arch rival to Kushida, Hiromu Takahashi has made his claim that he should be next in line for this ROH title. Officials from both companies got together and decided that this match will be now be a 4-corner survival match for the ROH World Television Championship! Fans will not want to miss this one live or on the FITE App.
Fans can also watch the Facebook Live Pre-Show on the Ring of Honor Facebook page with special guest and FITE TV personality SoCal Val as she brings you analysis and previews of all the matchups.
“We are ecstatic that we have the opportunity to continue to work with Ring of Honor and to help make the programming available on a continued basis. Live PPV events always bring the best out of the wrestlers and we can’t wait to see this event in-front of loyal ROH UK fans.” said Michael Weber, COO of FITE TV.
“Anytime we can deliver more ROH to our passionate fans, it is a good thing,” said Greg Gilleland , ROH General Manager. “Along with FITE, I am very happy in being able to make this event a little more special, with a card that our fans in North America definitely won’t want to, and now don’t have to miss.”
ROH Wrestling’s weekly shows debut on FITE TV everyone Monday night at 7:00pm ET. Make sure you tune in each week to keep up with the latest from ROH. The FITE app can be downloaded at your Google Play or Apple app stores.”
Alberto El Patron has been stripped of the Undisputed World Heavyweight Title In the WAW promotion, owned by Paige’s family. This is the top championship belt in the promotion, which is lead by Paige’s father Ricky Knight.
WAW issued the below statement on the World Title vacancy, which doesn’t mention the former champion Alberto by name.
“The WAW Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship has been declared vacant at last night’s Academy Show in Costessey, following a unanimous decision by the WAW Championship Committee. The WAWCC’s decision was announced by Zak Knight but no information was revealed regarding the crowning of a new champion. Since the announcement several individuals have announced their desire to compete for the title. Both European Heavyweight Champion Robin Lekime and British Heavyweight Champion Aaron Sharp have already revealed their desire to add more gold to their repertoire, as well as former World Heavyweight Champion Brad Slayer and former European Heavyweight Champion King Kendo. With four of WAW’s top competitors already eyeing up the most prestigious title will anyone else step forward in the hope of gaining public support?
A 32 man tournament has been announced to determine a new Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion over the course of the rest of 2017 with the final taking place at Epic Studios, Norwich in December. The entrants into this tournament will be deliberated by the WAWCC over the coming weeks before brackets are announced.”
The announcement comes about a week after an incident at the Orlando International Airport between Alberto and Paige made headlines all over the web. Paige’s brother Zak wrote on his Facebook that he’s worried about his sister and accused Alberto of domestic violence. Del Rio is also currently suspended indefinitely by Global Force Wrestling.
TMZ reported that there was some sort of domestic disturbance between the two at the airport. A witness claimed to Heavy.com that Paige yelled out loud that Alberto had been doing cocaine for “two days straight,” and Alberto allegedly replied that she was the one with the drugs in her bag.
Global Force Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH announced further talent exchanges between the two companies earlier today.
Moose and Eddie Edwards will be heading to Japan in October for a tour with NOAH, while GHC Jr. Heavyweight champion, Taiji Ishimori, will compete at Destination-X on August 17th.
GFW and Pro-Wrestling NOAH Press Release
“Nashville – Global Force Wrestling (GFW), a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp., announced today that it is expanding its talent exchange with Tokyo-based Pro Wrestling NOAH.
Taiji Ishimori, the three-time and reigning Global Honored Crown (GHC) Junior Heavyweight Champion from Pro Wrestling NOAH, returns to IMPACT Wrestling on Thursday, Aug. 17, to participate in Destination-X, live on Pop TV and broadcast to more than 120 countries worldwide. Ishimori was a show-stealer in his GFW debut on July 2, at Slammiversary 15, originating from The Impact Zone on the backlot of Universal Studios Florida.
Ishimori was joined at Slammiversary by Naomichi Marufuji.
“All of us at GFW are excited to continue to grow our relationship with Pro Wrestling NOAH,” said GFW Vice President of International Relations Scott D’Amore. “Having Ishimori back competing in the six-sided GFW ring at Destination-X shows our commitment to showcasing the very best athletes from around the world.”
There is no confirmation yet on additional Pro Wrestling NOAH talent that will be in Orlando for Destination-X and the ensuing TV tapings for IMPACT Wrestling, D’Amore said.
GFW stars also will be heading to Japan later this year to participate in Great Voyage 2017, vol. 2 from Pro Wrestling NOAH on Sunday, Oct. 1. GFW stars Moose and Eddie Edwards will be competing in Japan. Edwards was in Japan earlier this year, along with “Cowboy” James Storm.
“GFW is excited and honored to be part of the Great Voyage from Pro Wrestling NOAH,” D’Amore said. “Moose and Eddie Edwards are two amazing athletes who will be great representatives for GFW and IMPACT Wrestling.
“These talent collaborations are examples of how GFW and its international promotional partners continue to work together on an unprecedented level to provide a truly global audience with the very best action in the wrestling business.”
As noted, tonight’s episode of WWE RAW from Nashville will feature the big reveal of Kurt Angle’s mystery storyline.
The RAW GM has been seen on TV with Corey Graves in recent weeks discussing a highly sensitive personal matter that Angle thinks could ruin him. Angle is bringing a loved one with him to RAW tonight to help him make the big announcement.
Angle sent out the below message on Twitter earlier today, writing that the announcement will change his “life and career” forever.
The announcement I make in 10 hours on Monday Night Raw will change my life and career 4ever. Be sure to tune in tonight. #RawGM@WWE
The July 17th, 2017 edition of WWE RAW airs live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN. Join us tonight at 8 PM ET for live coverage and discussion of RAW all night.
Here’s what WWE is promoting for tonight’s show on their official website:
Universal Champion Brock Lesnar’s SummerSlam challenger to be determined With a Universal Championship opportunity on the line, Reigns vs. Joe will undoubtedly turn up the volume in this Music City melee.
Kurt Angle to expose controversy to the world For the past several weeks, Corey Graves and Raw General Manager Kurt Angle have been secretly discussing some sensitive information that could not only threaten The Olympic Hero’s career, but might just tear his family apart. On Raw, Angle will reveal the details to the world. The Raw GM will make the revelation alongside a loved one, whose identity has yet to be disclosed. Who is Angle bringing to Raw, and what will they have to say?
Dean Ambrose to kick off Raw One week after Dean Ambrose helped Seth Rollins turn back a 3-on-1 attack by The Miz and his Miztourage, The Lunatic Fringe will open Raw, live in Nashville, Tenn.
The Hardy Boyz gain new enemies Seeking to make names for themselves on Raw, the returning Revival attacked The Hardy Boyz immediately after the brothers’ defeat at the hands of Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson this past Monday night. Matt & Jeff have refused to “fade away” and become “obsolete” after failing to recapture the Raw Tag Team Titles at WWE Great Balls of Fire and have said they’ll scratch and claw their way back to those championships no matter who gets in their way. Have Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson made a mistake in provoking The Hardys?
Will Bayley continue to gain momentum? One week after Nia Jax rendered Bayley unable to compete when The Huggable One teamed with Sasha Banks against the juggernaut and Raw Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss, Bayley pinned the self-proclaimed “Goddess of WWE” in an intense rematch this past Monday night. Based on that victory, it seems Bayley is back in the fight. Is the beloved Superstar inching toward a championship opportunity after pinning the titleholder?
Big Cass has a big problem with Big Show Following a colossal brawl, The World’s Largest Athlete told WWE.com that Cass “is on the wrong path” and that he “might have bit off more than he can chew.” What will happen if these two goliaths cross paths Monday night?
Tickets for the upcoming Battleground PPV at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, are reportedly not selling well. WWE sent out an email blast recently, letting fans in the area know ticket prices have been reduced.
Tickets which once cost $55 are now slashed all the way to $25. 2nd and 3rd row tickets are still available as well.
Why Isn’t Battleground Selling Well?
The famed hotbed of ECW, has been one of the hottest pro-wrestling markets in North American seemingly forever. The fans will turn on a show however, as was demonstrated by the 2015 Royal Rumble (and several other events).
WWE runs Philadelphia frequently throughout the year, but evidently there is something about this card which isn’t resonating with fans in the area.
The match lineup for the show is currently:
AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens – US Championship
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin
Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch vs. Natalya vs. Tamina vs. Lana – #1 contender match
John Cena vs. Rusev – Flag Match
the Usos vs. New Day – Tag Title Match
Jinder Mahal vs. Randy Orton – Punjabi Prison match for the WWE championship.
According to a report from Sports Illustrated, both WWE and GFW are making a play to sign soon-to-be-free agent Rey Mysterio Jr.
Mysterio is signed to Lucha Underground up until Season 3 finishes airing in September. He also has a “First Look Contract” with the El Rey Network which is believed to expire this summer.
He will then have to complete a 90-day no compete clause before performing for another promotion.
Could Rey Mysterio Be Back in WWE?
There is still no word given on when Lucha Underground plans to shoot a 4th season, leaving many on their roster frustrated. Should LU announce continued funding and future taping dates soon, the promotion might still be in a position to re-sign Mysterio.
GFW is said to really want Mysterio, especially considering what has been going on with the company’s current top star, Alberto El Patron, at the moment.
Another factor which could impact where Mysterio lands, is his son Dominic’s future training. Dominic has begun training to be a pro-wrestler, and a developmental deal for him could be part of Mysterio’s contract negotiations with WWE.
Famed referee Earl Hebner sat down with ring announcer David Penzer recently, for Penzer’s “Sitting Ringside” podcast. Hebner spoke on the Montreal Screwjob, and when he found out about it, and what working for WWE was like.
Earl Hebner Interview Highlights
When he found out about what his role would be in the finish to the Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels Match at Survivor Series:
“I found out walking to the gorilla position, I was pulled to the side and was told Vince wants you to do this, and this and this. I thought, Oh my God!'”
His thoughts on what it was like working in WWF/WWE:
“There was so much stress down there (WWE), it was miserable it was like you were in prison.”
The “Twin Referees” Storyline Screwjob of Hulk Hogan in 1988:
“I did count 1,2,3, with Hogan’s shoulders about four feet off the mat, and then my brother came down and there was two of us! We had our little battle royal there and then Hogan figured out that I was the evil one, so he picks me up and tosses me out of the ring over Andre and Virgil. It hurt bad. I injured my rotator cuff, I couldn’t move my arm. That was my first day there. After that night, I had to spend six to eight weeks in rehab.”
There is some drama going on in AAA at the moment. The company has re-signed popular women’s wrestler, Sexy Star, which has rubbed some in the company the wrong way.
The 34-year old whose real name is Dulce Maria García Rivas, is a big draw in Mexico, but has been the subject of criticism amongst some of her colleagues for being difficult to work with. Evidently her signing represents the end of the line for Taya, who had been the company’s top women’s wrestlers since 2014.
Last year, Sexy Star left lucha libra to begin a career as a professional boxer. She won her debut fight back in April.
On July 1st, AAA talent director, Vampiro, stripped Taya of the Reina de Reinas title, stating she had used an illegal choke in her last title victory and hadn’t defended the title in months. This was met with a fair amount of surprise as Taya had been the perennial champion for going on 3 years (she had recently lost and regained the title).
Yesterday Sexy Star beat 5 other performers in Monterey to win the vacated title. After finding out, Taya let it be known she no longer plans to wrestle for AAA.
Sexy Star’s resigning with AAA, also opens the door for her return to Lucha Underground for a potential season 4. Currently Sexy Star and Taya are building up a rivalry on the show, which may have strengthened the animosity between the two in real life, however that is just speculation.
INFLUX Pictures is working on a documentary featuring Perry Saturn and the highs and lows of the wrestling business. Below are some photos of Saturn in the documentary.
Ryback recently claimed on his podcast that a match between himself and the Ultimate Warrior was scheduled for WrestleMania XXX. Ryback stated that it was WWE’s Mark Carrano that showed him the idea for the card and that he was skeptical of it because he didn’t know what kind of condition Warrior would be in. He are Ryback’s comments on his Conversations With The Big Guy podcast:
“Mark Carrano actually had showed me the WrestleMania card early. They kind of have an idea of what they want to do, obviously, ahead of time, and they had on it Ryback versus Ultimate Warrior. And I just said, ‘cool.’ But, in my head, at the time, it was during my heel deal, that first one, where it probably wasn’t gonna be a favorable position for me as far as all that. But I was excited, because I figured it was his one last moment in WWE. So, I thought it would be really cool. I didn’t think I would necessarily be the right guy for that, because I didn’t know anything… I didn’t know what kind of shape he was in, if he could wrestle or not, but I 100 percent would have done it, because I did everything that they asked me there.”
Dana Warrior denied Ryback’s claims in the following tweet:
Not true. It always saddens me when people tell untruths on a man's grave to promote their lives. Do your OWN work. Dana https://t.co/B4gFSmKljq
Alberto El Patron and Paige attend soccer game together
A PWInsider reader sent them a video of Paige and GFW Champion Alberto El Patron attending a soccer game today in San Antonio, Texas. This is the couple’s first appearance in public since their incident at an airport in Orlando on July 9th. Patron is still under investigation for the incident and remains suspended from GFW.
Max Landis creates petition to bring “Talking Smack” back to the WWE Network as a weekly show
Filmmaker Max Landis, writer and director of “Wrestling Isn’t Wrestling”, created a petition to bring “Talking Smack” back to the WWE Network on a weekly basis. As of now, the petition has 12,126 signatures with a 15,000 signature goal. Below is Landis’ statement on the petition and you can sign it by clicking here.
“Talking Smack,” the Smackdown Post show, was announced as cancelled today. This is a huge loss for the WWE.
“Talking Smack” was an innovative, engaging, compelling and reliably hilariously funny closer look at the characters and world of the WWE. It drove deeper interest in characters who often didn’t get time to speak on television, and was home to some of the best segments in recent history.
The informal style, spearheaded by the grounded, friendly conversational performance of host Renee Young and bolstered by Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon, who act like real people, shows a side of the wild storylines that makes even the most silly and ridiculous situation on Smackdown suddenly seem remarkably real, fun, and complex.
Shows like “Talking Smack,” that broaden the world of the WWE Universe and give a looser-structured but tighter-focused look at the Superstars within it, are integral to growing interest in story-lines and characters; they are not just frosting. I know this, because due to Talking Smack, I am a fan with a more vested and profound appreciation for Erick Rowan, The Usos, Alexa Bliss, and even more prominent characters like AJ Styles.
WWE prides itself on hearing the voice of the WWE Universe, so let’s speak up. Sign this petition, and let’s make it clear that WE, the WWE Universe, the $9.99ers and the crowds on Youtube who make WWE’s channel the second most watched content IN THE WORLD, want “Talking Smack” BACK.
Stand up and shout loud for an uncommon, and uncommonly smart show.
Kurt Angle on CM Punk returning to wrestling in the future
RAW GM Kurt Angle answered a few questions on his Facebook page a couple of days ago. A fan asked Angle about CM Punk’s MMA future and a possible return to professional wrestling. Angle responded with the following:
“I hope he comes back. I think his MMA career is over. He needs to go back to what he does best!”
Randy Orton returning to SmackDown on Tuesday
WWE Superstar Randy Orton has not been seen on SmackDown since July 4th because he was filming the new WWE Studios movie “Changeland”. Orton will make his return to SmackDown this week in the final episode before WWE Battleground. Orton will face Jinder Mahal for the WWE Championship in a Punjabi Prison match at the PPV.
Sasha Banks pokes fun at Alexa Bliss on Instagram
WWE posted a photo of Alexa Bliss on their Instagram account earlier today that stated that “#LittleMissBliss always has something up her sleeve”. Sasha Banks left this comment on the photo, “Yeah Paige’s jacket pfpfpfp”.
Some WWE officials were unhappy with the first two nights of the Mae Young Classic
According to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there were some WWE officials that weren’t happy with the first two fights of the Mae Young Classic. The first two nights of the 32 competitor tournament concluded on Friday night. The latest edition of the newsletter noted that some people in WWE were unhappy with the tournament because of the way some of the women looked. There are those in WWE “who believe that WWE women all have to be hot” and felt that many of the women in the tournament weren’t good looking enough for WWE’s standards. It seems that there are some officials in WWE that are stuck in the past and are still incapable of accepting female Superstars as equal to their male counterparts.
Beth Phoenix comments on not being included in the promo for the tournament
WWE aired a video package for the tournament and showed several Superstars that held gold in WWE. The video showed Mae Young, Trish Stratus, Sensational Sherri, Lita, Jacqueline and more. A fan pointed out on Twitter that WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix was not included in the video. Beth Phoenix responded to the fan with the following tweet:
A fan recently taunted Kevin Owens at a WWE Live event as he made his way to the ring and asked Owens “where his belt was?”. Owens lost his United States Championship at a WWE Live event at Madison Square Garden a little over a week ago. Owens responded to the fan and stated “it is not a belt, it’s a title dumbass”. The use of the term “belt” is banned in WWE.
Jeff Hardy brings back an old look
Since returning to WWE at WrestleMania 33, Jeff Hardy hasn’t worn face paint. During a recent WWE Live event in Virginia, Hardy came down to the ring with face paint on.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWjFsOggKZx/
Corey Graves discusses working security for Deftones
WWE uploaded a clip from the most recent episode of Superstar Ink of Corey Graves discussing the time he worked security for a Deftones performance. Graves and his friend were invited to party with the Deftones after the concert but they couldn’t go because his friend had to work the next morning.
A fan sent in a photo of his friend’s ridiculous New Day/unicorn themed tattoo on his leg. Big E responded and simply asked why the friend would let this happen.
Sasha Banks on the evolution of the women’s division in WWE
Sasha Banks spoke with Stuff while WWE was touring in New Zealand recently. Banks discussed the women’s division and how it has evolved over the past five years. Here are Banks’ comments:
“Five years ago we weren’t given this opportunity that we’re having now to be equal to the men. Just two years ago we were considered Divas, that was our brand name, and we had a championship that was in the shape of a butterfly. I was like ‘this is not us, we’re not divas, we’re superstars’. And so two years ago we changed that.
We have all different shapes, sizes, all different looks, and it’s so beautiful to see, because legit five years ago it was all models. Now, the sky’s the limit.”
New Canvas 2 Canvas with Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes was the subject for this week’s episode of Canvas 2 Canvas. WWE artist Rob Schamberger discussed Rhodes’ legacy while creating the artwork. Dusty Rhodes will be inducted into the 2017 National Wrestling Hall of Fame on July 20-22 and this week’s episode was done as a tribute to him.
WWE has announced that Dean Ambrose will open tomorrow night’s episode of WWE RAW. Ambrose has been locked in a feud with The Miz for some time now, but Seth Rollins has now been introduced to the storyline. During “The Mizzies” on this past week’s episode of RAW, The Miz called Rollins a fraud for failing to defeat Bray Wyatt even though he said he could. Rollins then once again lost to Wyatt in RAW’s main event and was then surrounding by The Miztourage (The Miz, Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas). Dean Ambrose came down to the ring to save his former teammate in The Shield from the attack. Rollins helped out Ambrose earlier in the night after The Miztourage attacked him.
“One week after Dean Ambrose helped Seth Rollins turn back a 3-on-1 attack by The Miz and his Miztourage, The Lunatic Fringe will open Raw, live in Nashville, Tenn.
Despite having mutual nemeses in The A-Lister and his “co-stars,” a distrustful Ambrose made it clear to The Kingslayer last Monday night that they’re far from friends and that he hasn’t forgotten or forgiven Rollins for what he did to dismantle The Shield back in 2014. What will Ambrose get off his chest when Raw goes live at 8/7 C on USA Network, and how will Rollins — and The Miz — respond?”
Top 10 wildest Superstar facial reactions
WWE has posted a new list of Superstars reacting in the ring. The list includes The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar sharing a laugh at SummerSlam, Vince McMahon reacting to Shane McMahon showing up on WCW Nitro and more. You can check out the entire list in the video below.
The cancellation of Talking Smack represents everything that is wrong with WWE’s product right now. Talking Smack was a weekly show hosted by Renee Young and SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan. It was essentially WWE’s version of a post-game show but with a twist. The show sometimes would feature an attack or altercation between WWE Superstars. I thought the show was much more effective when it aired immediately following SmackDown. Unfortunately, it was bumped back an hour and 205 Live is now aired directly after SmackDown. It has now been reported that Vince McMahon is unhappy with the product and doesn’t believe it is in the company’s best interest to continue to produce it on a weekly basis. Apparently, McMahon also wants to phase out Talking Smack completely in the near future.
I really enjoyed Talking Smack. I thought it was the only place, other than podcasts not affiliated with WWE, where Superstars could be themselves. They could say things off the top of their heads, instead of relying on a script that 40,000 writers created for them. They could speak naturally and avoid the awkward pause we see so much on WWE television when a Superstar tries to remember their lines. They could actually speak words they use in real life, instead of desperately trying to make their way through a corny written promo carefully sculpted by folks that have bored the WWE Universe to tears for years now.
Take a look at a Superstar like Baron Corbin. He clearly possesses talent and looks like a badass. There is absolutely no reason that he shouldn’t be a star in WWE and should have the ability to bring in money just based on his look alone. Corbin is also a good performer in the ring and his End of Days finisher is just awesome. His only issue right now on the main roster is promos. He speaks like a robot and half the time he is rocking back and forth while cutting a promo. He doesn’t look comfortable with the scripted words he is given. However, when you watched Corbin on Talking Smack he came off way better than he does on SmackDown every week. WWE is obviously banking on Corbin being a star as he is currently holding the Money in the Bank briefcase. I could be wrong, but I don’t think having Corbin utter phrases like “sayonara Nakamura” like he did on this past week’s SmackDown, is going to help him all that much in the future.
If you convince a friend that hasn’t watched wrestling for some time to check out the current product, one of the first things they will notice is the poor promos. Obviously the PG rating limits what Superstars can say, but it shouldn’t prevent them from being entertaining. It is hard to be entertaining when you are performing a promo that is not in your own words and is something you do not believe in. Every week I see Superstars just trying to get through a promo. I don’t see intensity or passion for the material, I just see employees trying not to screw up what their bosses have given to them. The Miz is now hosting fake award shows and beating up random people in bear costumes. I’ll take The Miz flipping out on Talking Smack over that any day of the week.
Sports Illustrated’s Justin Barrasso is reporting that Talking Smack was cancelled because Vince McMahon felt that the unscripted style of the show wasn’t best for the company’s interest. The report noted that Vince McMahon was unhappy for the show and decided to stop airing it on a weekly basis.
McMahon has been less present at WWE events as of late. However, he attended the TV tapings this week and made the decision on Tuesday night to cancel Talking Smack as a weekly show.
Even though McMahon cancelled Talking Smack on Tuesday night, hosts of the show Daniel Bryan and Renee Young had no idea that was the case until they saw fans sending them messages on Twitter.
Really disappointed about #TalkingSmack. We tried to make that show great. Guess I'll go back to welcoming my guest at this time.
WWE has issued the following statement on the future of the show:
“We continuously review WWE Network’s programming line-up based on a variety of factors, including viewership and subscriber research. Talking Smack and Raw Talk will air following pay-per-view events, and Tuesday will continue to feature 205 Live.”
Sports Illustrated recently published an article on their Extra Mustard blog about the ongoing legal battle between Matt and Jeff Hardy versus Anthem Sports and Entertainment over the rights to the ‘Broken’ gimmick. The new report notes that this stems back to when Matt and Jeff were renegotiating their deals with Impact Wrestling before they departed from the company. Anthem reportedly offered Jeff a very lucrative multi-year deal, but low-balled Matt Hardy with their offer. The new report also states that Matt Hardy was also offered a role on the creative team at Impact Wrestling, but the offer was later rescinded by Jeff Jarrett.
It was also revealed in the new article published on Sports Illustrated that The Hardys and Anthem were close to agreeing on a deal for the ‘Broken’ gimmick. The Hardys reportedly would have paid between $10,000 and $15,000 to acquire the rights to the gimmick. The report also confirms that there was a non-disparagement agreement involved in the deal, which would see Reby Hardy pay $1,000 fine for the first offense and $5,000 after that for every time Reby Hardy posted something about Anthem on Twitter. Reby recently took a couple of shots at Anthem and Jarrett on Twitter after Jarrett claimed that The Hardys had not acquired the ‘Broken’ gimmick.
The agreement also was said to include The Hardys signing off on a press release that stated that both sides settled on good terms. According to the report, Anthem then wanted 50% of all of the Hardys revenue, which would include Jeff’s art and music. The Hardys saw it as “a monumental heist and money-grab”. The report also notes that GFW is looking to profit off the use of the gimmick by creating “Broken” Hardys DVD or digital series. That would be difficult to accomplish because the Hardys would not endorse the products and would encourage fans not to purchase them.
Global Force Wrestling issued the following statement to Sports Illustrated:
“WWE has clearly stated via email that they do not want the ‘Broken Brilliance’ IP [intellectual property],” GFW said in a statement to SI. “GFW has been and always will be open to a licensing agreement for the IP to all parties, which is customary in the music and entertainment business, but revolutionary in the professional wrestling business.”
Buff Bagwell was recently interviewed by Josh Modaberi of Cult of Whatever and discussed various wrestling topics. Here are some highlights from the interview:
On Vince McMahon as a boss:
“Satan!”
First TV match in WWE against Booker T (2001):
“What people don’t realise is that they put Booker T and myself on as the main event of Monday Night Raw for the WCW World Title in Seattle, Washington with all of the odds against us. A week later WWE were going to be in Atlanta, Georgia, why could they have not waited seven days and put Booker T v Buff Bagwell for the WCW World Championship on in Atlanta which was the home of WCW instead of seven days earlier in Seattle where we got booed out of the building.
My honest opinion is that it was set up for us to fail, it didn’t work and we knew we shouldn’t have been in the main event, we knew there was something wrong about it but you don’t ask questions in this business you just go and do what your told.”
Eric Bischoff as a boss:
“I thought he was the best, he was the best to me, I’ve heard other people say different things about him but in my opinion he was the best.”
The final night like of WCW Monday Nitro:
“Nobody knew what was going to happen beforehand, it took everyone by surprise when we walked up and all of a sudden Shane McMahon was there. It was a really horrible atmosphere in the changing room that night because people didn’t know if they still had jobs or not, there was a lot of uncertainty.”
Bagwell also discussed his time in the NWO, how he got into professional wrestling and more. You can check out the entire interview by clicking here.
